Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
afield
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
America
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
authority
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
Bar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
bulls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
burning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
cars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
cattle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
city
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
condemned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
costly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
diagnosis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
disastrous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
disease
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
entire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
Europe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
expected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
expense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
extraordinary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
farther
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
fearful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
footnounUS /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
harassed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
herd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
houses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
incompetent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
irritated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
issuednounUS /issued/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
misfortune
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
mouth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
ordernounUS /order/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
penned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
prize
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
pronounced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
purebred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
Q
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
scourge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
sheds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
shunted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
slaughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
staggering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
stricken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
suffering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
surgeon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
thousands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
touched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
tour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tour of the Bar Q purebred bulls had been a disastrous and costly one.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
veterinary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
victims
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
WhereverconjunctionUS /weˈrevər/
in or to any place at all
From this reading Wherever they touched it was their misfortune to be turned back or shunted farther afield.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading From city to city, at a staggering expense, went the prize herd, from which extraordinary things had been expected.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Then there was a time when the Bar Q herd was condemned by a harassed and irritated authority who, upon the diagnosis of an incompetent veterinary surgeon, pronounced the cattle to be suffering from foot and mouth disease, and an order was issued for the slaughter of the entire herd, and the burning of all sheds, cars or other houses in which they had been penned.
winter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter the country was suffering from the fearful scourge, which having stricken down its victims by the thousands in Europe had passed over the sea to America.
